Wire transfer apparatus



p 29, 1931- V G. G. SWANK 1,825,214

WI-RE TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Dec. 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

IIHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR'.

Gauge [3.5warflc Sept. 29, 1931. cs. afswANK WIRE TRANSFER APPARATUSFiled Dec. 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v FIG. 5.

FIG. 4.

.mk wwm mww S 5 E .E D #5 dnmlusks Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATESGEORGE G. swaNx, or cmwroansvrrm, INDIANA' WIRE APPARATUS Applicationflled'December 2, 1929. Serial No. 411,145.

The present invention relates to the handling of wire in coiled form forthe manufacture of fences and the like, and has more particularreference to an improved device for use in transferring formed coils ofwire from the forming block to the reel from which the wire is directlytaken in the manufacture of wire fence fabrics.

At the present time, the manufactured wire is wound upon a form block orthe like andafter the coil is formed to the desired size it isthenstripped from the block, placed upon a cruciform frame and bundledor tied thereto, and then put on a truck. The truck is then moved to afence department and unloaded by placing the coiled wire on'reels fromwhich the wire is unwound in the manufacture of the fence fabrics.

In order that the coils of wire may be readily handled and transportedby truck, it has been found necessary to make relatively small bundlesor coils of wire which are about 300 pounds each in weight. I Accordingto the present invention the coils of wire may be made considerablylarger and may be approximately 1000 pounds in weight each, and whereinthe mounting and tying of the coils of wire to a frame is eliminated,and also the use of the truck may be eliminated. An object of thepresent invention is to provide a transfer device which may be useddirectly between a' portable reel and the form block so that the coil ofwire may be transferred directly from the form block onto the reel andthen the reel shifted to the desired point for feeding the wire directlytherefrom to the machines for making the wire fence fabrics.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transfer device whichmay be quickly and easily detached from the reel and from the formblock, and which may be quickly and easily adjusted into place betweenthe reel and the form block so that the time required 46 for thetransfer is reduced to a minimum and wherein the transfer device may bequickly and easily handled.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views 5 Figure 1 is a side elevation,partly in section,-of the transfer device constructed according to thepresent invention and as applied to the Wire reel and the form block.

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of the transfer device.

Figure 3 is a front side elevation of the same, looking into the upperreduced end of the device.

Figure 4 is a rear side elevation of the same. 5

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken through the base or larger end ofthe device subistantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 2, an 7 Figure 7 isa transverse section through the upper end of the device takensubstantially on the line 7-7 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the longitudinal supportingrods of the frame block which are connected at one end to a head flangeor disc 11 against which the coils of wire are adapted to be pressedduring the winding or coiling, and 12 designates a connecting. outerring to which the opposite ends of the bars 10 are secured. The ring 12is located at the inner sides of the bars 10 so that the coil of wire,indicated at 13, may he slid outwardly from the head 11 over theopposite ends of the bars 10.

As the wire is drawn or manufactured it is Wound upon the form blockthus described, andwhen the coil is completed it is adapted to betransferred by suitable means and in a suitable manner to the reel 14,shown in Fig- 00 ure 1. The reel 14 may be of any suitable constructionand is shown in the present instance as comprising a main cylindricalbody portion mounted upon a base plate 15 adapted for rotation upon aspindle or shaft 16' which rises through the reel 14 and extendsslightly above the same. Theshaft 16 is mounted upon a base 16 havingcastors or rollers 17 b means of which the reel may be quickly an easilytransported over the floor are connected together by a plurality ofwires or rods 21 sccured'at one endto-the-ringl9 and at their other endsto thering 20. The

ring 19 forms the base ring and adapted when in position tobedisposedhorizontally and is provided with a central hub :22 adapted tofreely lit over the upper-end of the; shaft 15 and with arms 23 whichextend-racinally fronrthe hub 22 to .supportthe ring-19. The ring 19 isconnected to the outer-,ends ofg the arms near the upper surface of; the

ring 19 sothat thecavity, or seatisformed in the lower side of. the Vring adapted to .re,

ceive the upperendof-the reel ljel. The ring- 19 is .thus heldupon thercellel so thatthe transfer device. willnot tiltwhenitrests upon theupper end of the reel, andgthe;huh22, of the transfer. deviceengages-the -shaft115 sufficiently to substantially, center; the base,portion of the transfer device over the: upper endof the. reel;

The wires or rods 2l,which ,form the;bo.dy part of, the transfer, deviceare suitably curved so as to dispose the upper-i ring-20 at:substantially right angles-to the ring;19,,o.r; at such angle as isfound convenient for the application-of; a transfer device fbetaveen theform block 10 and the. reel 14.7

The lower or base. ends ofthe rodsQl: are suitably, secured to the basering 19zat; the outer side thereof,,or-at any-otheri suitable orconvenient point, and therodsi2lconverge upwardly and toward one'sideof: the device asshown in FigureLand-arc secured tothe inner side of thering-20; The ring 20 is of less diameter thanthegring ltl so thatthe;upper end of the. device tapersor issufli: ciently reduced indiameter to freely, receive the coil of wire, 13 upon the device; andto. direct the coil ofwireinto position over the upper end of thereel1-1.

The ring; QO'has anexterior-diameter to freely .fit in the ring12 oftheform block, and any suitable means may be provided for lim iting orsuitably interconnecting the, rings 12 and 20 so thatthe same;arerelated as shown in Figure 1.

The transfer device may-be retained per1nanently upon-the upper endofthe reelul l so as to be transported therewith 'asaipart thereof andso that it is only necessary-to swing the ring QO into alignment withthe-ringlz of the forming block whenit is desiredto load-the reel 14. Inunloading; thereell l the wire is merely unwound therefrom so that thetransfer device plays no part in this op eration and is not in the waywhen carried upon the upper end of the reel.

It is apparent that in the use of the device all of these intermediatesteps which are usually required for the transfer of the coil 13 fromthe form block 10 to the reel 1 1 is eliminated, It, is only necessary.to place the transfer; device of. this invention between the reel 14 andthe form block 10 and to then slide the wire coil 13 from the form blockmade considerably, larger than they are at presentisothatgreaterquantities of the materiaLmay behandled iandthe transfer isrequired at greater intervals of time.

The device is-ofisuchconstruction that it flClTDltSgof:solidityandstrength while at the sametilne it is relatively, smallandilight in wleightand may be quickly and easily han- (1 ed;

It is obvious that various changes and modifications-may be made in thedetails of construetion ,and design ,of'the above specificallydescribedfenibodinientof this invention without departing from thespirit: thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted onlyby, the scope of the-following claims.

What is claimed is 1. In, combination With an open ended form block forwire coils, a reel, means for supporting the reel: for transportationfrom pl ace. to. place, and an upwardly tapering and laterally.curved.transfer-device having an opening, in itslower end ,receivingtheupper end' of-the reel; and supporting the adjacent end of; the deviceover; the upper. end of the reel; and havingits-upper, end detachablyengaging; intheopen, end of the form block for-receivingandguidingacoilof wire from the formblock onto the reel. 7

2.. Anv-ire coilitransfer; device adapted for usehbetween a fornrblockandareel, comprising; a; pair; of. rings of. different diameters,andaiplurality of rods'secured to the inner wall of the ring of smallerdiameter, and to theouten walliofthe ringtof larger diameter-in spacedrelation the-reabout-to provide a body. portion, .said rods being curvedlongitudinally to shape the body portion into the form of an elbow, thefirst mentioned ring havinga smooth outer, surface adapted to engageintheopen end ofthe form block for receivinga Wire coil therefrom and thesecond mentioned ring adaptedto. receive the endofthe reel.

3. Awire. coil {transfer device adapted for use betweenalform blockandiareel, coma prising a main body part, means at one end of the main bodpart for detachable engagement with the orm block and means at theopposite end of the main body part for detachably seating upon the reel,said last mentioned means comprising a ring carried by the main bodypart and a spider carried by the upper portion of the rin forming acavity in the lower portion of t e ring to receive the upper portion ofthe reel.

GEORGE G. SWANK.

